Don Henley, Irving Azoff Sued After Accusing Book Dealer of Trying To Sell ‘Hotel California’ Handwritten Lyrics

Back in 2022, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame curator Craig Inciardi, auctioneer Edward Kosinski, and Glenn Horwitz found themselves in a great deal of trouble when they tried to sell handwritten lyrics from the Eagles’ famed album Hotel California. According to prosecutors at the time, the three individuals supposedly knew that Ed Sanders, hired by Don Henley and his manager Irving Azoff to write a book, stole the notes. Having dealt with the backlash from the scandal, the prosecutors eventually dropped the charges. But to the shock of many, Horowitz filed a lawsuit against Henley for spreading false claims. 

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Filing the lawsuit in New York on Thursday, Horowitz suggested that Henley, Azoff, and even the firms representing them spread false information about how they “unlawfully” obtained the handwritten lyrics. Looking at the complaint, Horowitz insisted that the attorneys and Henley knew they legally acquired the notes. 

Besides new details surfacing, Horowitz’s attorney, Caitlin Robin, criticized Henley, Azoff, and their lawyers for keeping emails hidden that proved Sanders gained the notes through legal means. She said, “They knew it would exculpate Plaintiff GLENN HOROWITZ and essentially destroy the fraudulent allegations they made about him.”

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Attorney Claims Don Henley Is A “Victim”

While dealing with the accusations brought against him, Horowitz explained how he “was deprived of his liberty and suffered humiliation, defamation, media harassment, diminished reputation, loss of business and/or loss of wages amounting in more than ten million dollars ($10,000,000.00), in addition to mental anguish, indignity, frustration and financial loss.” He even suggested his wife, Tracey, dealt with “defamation, media harassment, diminished reputation, and mental and emotional anguish.”

Releasing their own statement, Henley and Azoff’s attorney Dan Petrocelli appeared to claim they were the victims. “Don Henley was a witness and a victim in a criminal trial brought by the Manhattan District Attorney after a formal indictment of Glenn Horowitz by a New York grand jury. The indictment highlighted the dark underbelly of the memorabilia business that exploited the brazen, unauthorized taking and selling of Mr. Henley’s handwritten lyrics. The only malicious prosecution involved here is the filing of this case by Mr. Horowitz.” 

(Photo by Adam Gray/Getty Images)